The Fermion Many-Body Problem: From Cold Atoms to Cold Dark Matter

Michael ForbesUniv. of Washington

In the first part of this talk, I will discuss some aspects of the universal properties of cold systems comprising two species of fermions with short-range interactions. Formally these systems are extremely simple, but they exhibit tremendous variety, and are approachable with many different tools, from experiment to Monte-Carlo simulations. Apart from being interesting in their own right, they provide a testing ground for the many-body theory required to understand other more complicated systems, such as electronic superconductors, conventional superfluids, and nuclear matter in nuclei, neutron stars, and possibly even the missing dark matter in our universe.

In the second part of the talk, I will discuss the possibility that much of the dark matter in our universe may consist of cold strange quark antimatter nuggets. Note only is this model consistent with the many cosmological constraints, but naturally explains some puzzling diffuse emissions from the core of our galaxy. Furthermore, this model makes definite predictions that should soon be able to confirm, or rule it out. If correct, it provides a natural explanation for both dark matter and baryogenesis.